Shooting Iron Horses

There are lots of reasons why model railroaders want to photograph their layouts. Many want to show off their craftsmanship on Facebook, in blogs or elsewhere on the web. Club newsletters need photos from individual or club layouts. And some model railroad organizations like the NMRA sponsor photo competitions with the chance for prizes and recognition. Others want to sell their surplus trains on eBay or other auction sites and know that good photos bring higher prices. Modelers with major investments in their models and layouts need documentation for insurance and estate purposes. Model railroaders who make club presentations or conduct clinics at conferences know that the quality of their photos can make or break their presentation and that professional-level photography is a plus in these settings. This is even more true for photos intended for publication in magazines and books, where special requirements must be met and only the best will do.The ability to post videos to Facebook or YouTube, combined with the miniaturization of video cameras, has led to an explosion in the popularity of model railroad videos and opened an entirely new field for model railroad photography. In addition, this fact remains: making and showing photos of your layout is simply fun Shooting Iron Horses has several main objectives: -To explain how to set up outstanding photos of your trains and layouts-To demystify the processes for making high quality photos and videos-To help you avoid common mistakes and adopt best practicesIn this book you'll learn: -How to start making photos and videos quickly-What makes effective subjects for model railroad photos and videos-How lighting can make or break your photos-How to make your best shots-How to do focus stacking-How to add smoke to your locomotive photos-How to process your photos and videos once you've made them-How you can use your photos and videos in a variety of ways-What gear you'll need and how to choose it-And much more The authors have long experience as model railroaders and photographers. Their published work includes a book on landscape photography, Creative Composition for Landscape Photography, and an in-process book on close-up and macrophotography. They have made public presentations on using focus stacking to enhance sharpness throughout the miniature scenes found on model railroad layouts.